Delivered by theatre professionals, with regular visits from our main-house production’s creatives and actors, GSC’s practical evening classes are designed to help you discover The Bard in a fun and supportive environment.

Over 10 weeks, we explore Shakespeare’s great plays through close reading, group discussion and practical exercises in our professional rehearsal room. Each term culminates in a celebration of the term’s discoveries with wine and friends.

“We look at Shakespeare’s choice of words, their sound, their order on the page and the visual images created – this helps create a deeper understanding of the work and also gives you an insight and appreciation into Shakespeare’s skill as a writer.” Class Member

The Bard's Not That Hard meet on a Tuesday evening, 7pm - 9pm, in the rehearsal room at GSC HQ. No experience of Shakespeare or acting necessary and all ages welcome. This is not an acting class but there will be tea and biscuits! Just bring yourself and a desire to learn.

“I am able to appreciate and enjoy productions of Shakespeare better.” Class Member

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Autumn Term 2020: Troilus and Cressida

22 September - 1 December (HT 27 October; no class)

Tuesdays 7-9pm

Apply online

The Trojan War has been raging for seven years. The Greeks and the Trojans are stuck in a stalemate, desperate to attack. Away from the battlefield, Troilus and Cressida swear their undying love for each other, but will the war let their innocence survive? Shakespeare’s tragedy is a brutal satire on chivalry, love and fate.

Join your friends and fellow ‘Barders’ each week, as we explore one of Shakespeare's wonderful plays together through our usual close reading, group discussion and practical exercises.

GSC creatives will join us throughout the term, providing insight into Shakespeare’s life, the world around him and how he matured as a writer. The guests will share their personal approach to the play as actors, directors, producers, designers, adaptors and marketers.

"I think it's a great idea to study the plays that GSC are planning to perform. Seeing the play whilst we are studying it really brings it to life, and I love learning from people who are actually working on the show." Class Member

Spaces are strictly limited, so apply now to avoid disappointment. Simply fill in the online form below and pay the deposit to secure your place.

Apply online

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Future Terms*

TBC

*All date subject to change.

ADAPTING FOR THE STAGE

With Ant Stones, GSC’s Associate Playwright

Ever wanted to be a playwright? Ever read a book and wondered how it might work as a play? Ever wondered how an adaptation is taken from the page to the stage? Now’s your chance to find out…

GSC presents a new online course, designed to guide you through the adaptation process. Over 8 online sessions, Ant will guide you through his own writing process, the GSC style of working and the building blocks of adaptation.

The Producer’s Brief: Each playwright has been commissioned to write a short play (no longer than 15 minutes) to be performed as a part of a special night of readings celebrating classic literature. These plays can be condensed versions of the whole story, or chosen extracts. The choice is yours…

Apply Online

You’ll begin by choosing a classic text, work on exercises at home between sessions, write two drafts of your script (maximum of 15 minutes long) and receive one-on-one feedback. At the end of the course, we’ll all come together in a quarantine free world for a special reading of the scripts by professional actors.

Session topics will include:

• Choice of story or extract
• Plot and structure
• World creation
• Character realisation
• Exposition
• Dialogue
• Receiving notes
• Rewriting
• Preparing for performance

Lift your spirits and learn a new skill with this very special class. Grab a quill, typewriter or (most likely) your laptop and join Ant from the comfort of your own home, with a cup of tea or glass of wine.

Apply Online

Dates

Sessions 1-4: Mondays 7-8.30pm, 4 - 25 May

One-on-one sessions: Week commencing 1 June

Session 5: Monday 7-8.30pm, 8 June

One-on-one sessions: Week commencing 22 June

Session 6: Monday 7-8.30pm, 29 June

Location

Online.

Fee

£180

Apply Online

Suggested Choice of Texts

NB: All texts must be out of copyright for performance reasons.

1. Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
2. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
3. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
5. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
8. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
9. Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm
10. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
11. The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
12. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
13. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
14. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
15. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
16. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

 

Ant's work for GSC

Join Guildford’s award-winning professional theatre company for GSC Stages, a new programme for anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of theatre-making.

GSC Stages is split into short courses, with each one led by a different practitioner, within GSC’s professional rehearsal room. Over 12 years, GSC has worked with a variety of creatives and practitioners - including directors, actors, producers and designers – and for  the first time course members will be able to learn from their unique and practical masterclasses on theatre skills.

Each course can be joined separately, allowing members to gain a selection of professional insights and explore a variety of techniques through individual and group exercises. All ages and levels of experience are welcome and refreshments will be provided.

Details of future courses will be placed here.